Bay Ridge marked the unofficial start of fall on Sunday, Sept. 15 at the annual Police Officer Christopher Hoban Memorial Run hosted by Xaverian High School.
The event, held each year in honor of the Xaverian graduate who was killed in the line of duty in 1988, brought together thousands of participants for the 5K race outside the Shore Road high school.
The Hoban Run, as it’s commonly known, commemorates Police Officer Christopher Hoban, a Bay Ridge native and 1980 Xaverian alum who died during an undercover narcotics operation in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
On the night of Oct. 18, 1988, Hoban, who was serving in the Manhattan North Narcotics unit, entered an apartment building in Manhattan Valley’s W. 105th Street during an undercover operation. The suspects believed Hoban and his partner could be police officers, and a shootout ensued, killing 26-year-old Hoban.
Hoban, a Bay Ridge native, graduated from the neighborhood’s Xaverian High School in 1980 — and the school has honored him with an annual 5K every year since his death, except for in 2020, when the event was forced to go virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. Shortly after his death, the police alumni of Xaverian established a memorial scholarship fund to honor their fellow officer, which provides tuition assistance to students whose parents are New York City police officers.
Since 1989, the run has served as a tribute to Hoban’s life and service.
Each year, the run is supported by friends and family of Hoban, former classmates and colleagues, local first responders and enthusiastic Bay Ridgeites. The run — held each year on the third Sunday of September, dubbed “Hoban Sunday,” — also serves as an unofficial start to the fall season, bringing families together first on the steps of the now-co-ed Catholic high school to kick off the run, and in the school’s parking lot afterward. There, participants and their loved ones celebrate another race well run — while raising funds in Hoban’s name and memory.
Runners, spectators and volunteers gathered at Xaverian’s steps early Sunday morning for the 10 a.m. kickoff, followed by post-race festivities in the school’s parking lot. As in years past, local first responders, Hoban’s family and friends, former classmates and neighbors came together to remember the fallen officer while raising money for a cause that continues to benefit the next generation of students.
Participants, many of whom partake annually, praised the Hoban Run as a cherished event that both keeps Hoban’s memory alive and fosters a sense of community spirit.
Local officials including U.S. Rep Nicole Malliotakis, Council Member Justin Brannan and Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny also lauded the event’s commitment to bettering the community, year after year.
In a statement to Brooklyn Paper, Malliotakis said she is proud to help kick off the Hoban Run each year.
“NYPD Police Officer Chris Hoban was a community hero who gave his life for our city. Out of the tragedy of his murder came a scholarship that honors his memory and helps send the children of officers to Xaverian,” she said. “We must always support our police officers and fight to ensure that they have the tools, resources and manpower to safely do their jobs.”
NYPD Assistant Chief Charles McEvoy, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, was awarded the Police Officer Christopher Hoban Service to New York Award ahead of kick-off.
